Instrument for ear treatment



April 14, 1925.

. J. TAYLOR, JR

INSTRUMENT FOR EAR TREATMENT Filed April B, 1920 Invent/@U rfa/77e s 7:1)1/0?, Jh

Patented Apr. i4, reas.

UNITED srarris rea-TENT rorrrca.

Application filed April 8, 19%.

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Be it known that l, PlearnsTAYLOR, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at lllorcester, in the county of l.Worcester and Commonwealth of lllassachuset-ts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in an instrument for Ear Treatment, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to an instrument particularly adapted for `aural treatment and embodying means for aural inflation through the nostrils andconnected passages, and it has for its object to provide an instrument by means of which aural inflation can be accomplished with a minimum inconvenience to the patient, orby the patient himself, and by which a desirable moisture is applied to the passages leading` to theear.

Aural inflation has been heretofore practiced by the use of a catheter, which is a painful method, and obviously not adapted for the treatment of children, or by what is known as the Politzer method, or by one of its various modii cations, requiring co.v operation on the part of the patient, either by the act of swallowing, or by the pronunciation of certain sounds'which close the upper region of the pharynx by the palate.

By my present invention I provide an effective instrument for aural inflation which` Referring to the drawings the instrument comprises a mixing chamber land a delivery chamber 2 connected by a screw threaded tube 3. The chambers 1 and 2 are preferably flared at their outer ends to receive the screw threaded tubes 4 and 5 communicating with the mixing chamber 1, and the screw threaded tubes 6 and 7 communicating with the delivery chamber 2. Screwed upon the tubes 6 and 7 are metal bulbs 8 and 9 adapted to fit and close the lnostrils of the patient.

suitable germicidal volatile preparation,

having its exterior' screw threaded at 15 to receive an internally threaded sleeve 16 having its outer end closed at 17.

When it is desired to use the instrument, f' the reservoir 11i is first filled with a volatile and germicide solution, preferably'applied through thenasal bulbs 8 and 9, thus mois-v tening the tubes 6 and 7 and air cham-bers 1 and 2. lvl/Then the bulb 12 is compressed, air vis forced into the mixing chamber 1 where it mixes with the solution carrying some of it through the nostrils and connected passages into the middle ear. The chambers 1 and 2 thoroughly mix the solution and air current without sending a spray through the bulbs 8 and 9.

rThe tubes 6 and i' are so shaped that the bulbs S and 9 will hug the nasal septum and the bulbs 8 and 9 of sufficient size to fill the nostrils,` thereby completely closing the nostrils o the admission of air except as it is forced through the perforations of the bulbs. This is an important feature of my present invention and distinguishes it from similar apparatus designed for the administration of anesthetics, and enables the withdrawal of pus or the active massage of the middle ear and connected passages, as hereinafter described. The patient is then instructed to first breathe in deeply and then to inflate the cheeks, with the lips tightly closed so that, no air escapes. The patient may try this a few times, with the aurist testing the pressure of the inflated cheeks to insure that no air is escaping from the. mouth. The instrument is then applied to the nasal orifices and the bulb 12 is oompressed. The air enters the mixing chamber where it takes up a certain amount` of moisture from the solution, as described before, f and then passes on through the tubes 6 and 7, to the nasal passages where it deposits the solution carried bv the air current.

It is obvious that the compression of the bulb condenses the air in the aural passages and that the air will be rarlied upon the release of pressure on the bulb. In this way, by alternately compressing and releasing the bulb, a. massage of the middle ear. eustachian tube, nasal pharynx, and other nasal passages can be obtained. In addition, suction can be induced in the aural passages by using the instrument with the bulb compressed before 'applying it to the nasal orices, and then slowly releasing the bulb, thus causing traction of the passages, so that any secretion can be thus drawn from tlie middle ear and other passages'and even a bulging ear drum reduced. In addition, t-he inventive aurist can find many other uses for the instrument in the treatment of turbinates, antrums, frontal sinuses, etc.

The use of the instrument is attended with no detrimental results to the aural and nasal passages, inasmuch as a germicide solution is always carried in with the air from the bulb. The passages are also kept moistened during the treatment by the solution, and this result is believed to be of considerable importance, for the reason that in the absence of the solution, movement of the air alone through the passages would tend to dry them out, which would be undesirable.

By means of the screw threaded connections the separate parts of the instrument itself can be readily disassembled for cleaning, and sterilization. As the germicide solution is gradually withdrawn from the reservoir 14, the sleeve 16 is screwed upon the reservoir to force a fresh supply into the mixing chamber.

The germicide solution isi wholly within the control of the operator and is forced directly into the chamber 1 by screwing up the sleeve 16. From the chamber 1, the solution is taken up by the air current through the tube 4l. thereby impregnating` the air current without producing a spray. And as the nasal tubes 6 and 7 are connected directly with the mixing chamber 2, no spray is produced at the discharge end of these tubes, but instead a simple pressure oil. air impregnated with the solution is forced into one of the chambers.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the class described.' the combination of a pair of chambers having a connecting tubularpassage between them, a'reservoir for a germicidal solution communicating with one of said chambers, screw threaded means for forcing' the solution from said reservoir into one of said chambers. and means for forcing a current of air through both of said chambers.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a chamber having a pair of nasal tubes leading therefrom and providing opposed divergent and convergent portions. each convergent tube portion terminating in a conical nasal bulb having a passage therethrough coaxial with its associated tube portion. whereby opposed surfaces of said bulbs are maintained substantially parallel and are adapted to press evenly against the nasal septum when inserted in the nostrils.

JAMES TAYLOR, JR.

Witnesses:

RUrUs B. FOWLER, NnLLm WHALEN.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,533,618, granted April 14, 1925, upon the application of James Taylor, jr., of Worcester, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Instruments for Ear Treatment, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 5S, for the word tub read tube; same page, line 85, after the numeral 9 insert the Word are; page 2, beginning with line 59, strike out present claim 2, and nsert the following as claim 2:

2. n an apparat/as of the (dass described, a pair of eiambers, a tabidar passage Connecting said chambers and attaebed thereto by screw threaded joints, a pair of nascd tubes haring a sereni threaded connection witbone of said ebanibers, and

a second pair of tubes haring a serein threaded connection with the other of said chambers, with one of said second pair of tabes beading to a eoimpressibte reservoir, and the other of said second pair of tubes leading to an apparatus for foreing air through said chambers.; p and that the said Letters Patent should he read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oice.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of May, A. D. 1925.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

v let/ing Commissioner of Patents. 

